I've been contemplating making my tunnel removable. Is it really as simple as cutting the old one out or does the floor need to be reinforced some how? What would be the best material to use and how would I go about forming it without a palnel roller?

FWIW the car has a stock floor/firewall as well as subframe conectors and a cage.

Is this something I can do in my gagage or would it be better to farm it out to my chassis guy?

The stock floor pan has plenty of stregth to support a removable transmission tunnel. The torsion bar/transmission crossmember shapes the floor for the tailshaft portion of the tranny. You could easily cut the tunnel and form a peice of .032 alluminum for the tunnel. Drill and dzus fasten the alluminum to the floor. You will need to leave a 2" lip next to the firewall as this will be the most difficult area to seal. You will difineately need some bead rolls of some kind to give the panel some rigidity.

If you are simply trying to obtain a way to better access the bell housing bolts. It would be better to mark and drill the floor and get some plugs for the holes. Electrical box 1" plugs work nice. Just an option.

Leon

You can look though all these pics and maybe help you

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff92/vernmotor/Dart/

Ya you can do it yourself. I've seen some of the other things you've built. This should be know problem. I got 3 fasterners on each side holding it together.

then the

I acctually have a lot of room to access the bell housing bolts on this car. But I would like a little more room and have easier acces to adjusting the shifter cable and installing the blanket. Not to mention that if I did want to try installing a sheild again it would be needed.

Jeff, I appreciate the vote of confidence. Just not sure I can get it done with out buying more equipment that I can't afford or justify.


Jamie, did you form it by hand or do you have a panel and bead roller at your disposal?

All you need is a sawsall and and a pop rivet gun. I formed my sheet steel over a 55 gallon drum.

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I formed my sheet steel over a 55 gallon drum.

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Don't have one of those either

I might be able to use an old steel wheel. I'ld have to find something for the other end.

What about rolling the beads.

And where might I be able to get the material? can't get something that big at the hardware store.

I didn't bead roll mine. I would say a machine shop has the sheet steel you need. Just use your knee for the other end

I didn't make mine removable as the trans still has to come out the bottom. I did enlarge it to fit the shield and remove trans and components easily. I bent it over a 8" peice of pcv from Home Depot.
Heres the cut.
Doug

I slid the piece in the hole. Tack welded the edge and welded it from the top. Then I went to the bottom and trimmed off the excess sticking thru. I welded underneath and metal finished the edge. Heres the finished product. Plenty of room.
Doug

I've got a pretty well equiped shop out back but I don't have anything for doing sheet metal work.

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Do you know what a buck is?

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No I don't

It is a wood mold you make. to fit your metal around to shape.

Wood?




All I can make out of wood is charcoal and saw dust

Looks to me like that scoop on your car is about the right shape. Go for it.

Is that how you did yours?